


You Better Watch Out, You Better Not Cry

by ChaoticLesbian



Series: Criminal Minds [8]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Attempted Kidnapping, Bisexual Jennifer "JJ" Jareau, Blood and Injury, Christmas, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Family Fluff, First Kiss, Flashbacks, Fluff and Angst, Gun Violence, Heavy Angst, Homophobia, Horror, Hurt Emily Prentiss, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, I really don't like her, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, JJ has a twin sister, Kidnapping, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Emily Prentiss, Missions Gone Wrong, Murder, Pagan Character, Pagan Festivals, Panic Attacks, Past Child Abuse, Rescue Missions, Self-Acceptance, Team as Family, Violence, because this wouldn’t be one of my cm fics if it didn’t include that, it isnt all angst, theres fluff in here in places I promise, this is an ambassador prentiss hate account
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:41:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28099380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaoticLesbian/pseuds/ChaoticLesbian
Summary: When a Unsub starts kidnapping women around Christmas time, it’s a race against the clock to try and get them back before they end up dead, but this Unsubs ways startle and horrify the team, all with a little romance thrown in the mix. A normal day at the BAU right?Or the one where I still suck at summaries, it’s Christmas, guy is taking one partner from wlw relationships because of his ex and Emily and JJ try to sought through their feelings for each other and Emily gets added into the list of missing women.TW homophobia/Referenced past child abuse
Relationships: Jennifer "JJ" Jareau/Emily Prentiss
Series: Criminal Minds [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2008030
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25





	1. The Beginning

**_Saturday December 21  
_ ** **_New York: 23:23  
_ ** **_Location: Unknown_ **

The rustling in the bush behind her made the brunette spin around quickly, her eyes frantically searching the darkness. For a single moment, everything was still. Passing cars seemed to disappear and there was no one else in the world. All until it wasn’t. A hand wrapped around her from behind, covering her mouth so she couldn’t cry and. And just like that, she was gone. Thrown into the back of a van, the world none the wiser to what had occurred just meters away.

**_Sunday December 22  
_ ** **_Virginia: 09:07  
_ ** **_Location: The BAU_ **

Emily walked into the building, drinks in hand and snow layered over her, thankful for the heating the bullpen had.  
“Please tell me those are being shared." Spencer said hopefully, smiling down at the warm drinks in Emily’s grasp. Emily smiled back, handing out the beverages.  
“Plain Hot chocolate for Spence an JJ and Natasha once they arrive, Gingerbread hot chocolate for Garcia and coffees for Tara, Rossi, Luke and Matt.” She handed each member their drinks before sitting down on the desk with her own, letting its warmth warm her frozen hands.  
“I used to love the snow as a kid.” Tara mentioned with a nostalgic smile.  
“I’ll never grow out of my love of snow it-“ Garcia was cut off by another agent walking in.  
“Natasha, JJ!” Emily grinned at the agents as they entered the bullpen.  
“How was London?”  
“Eh, it was nice to see the family but the weather sucked.” The agents laughed lightly, sitting at Natasha's desk with a sigh before realizing the teams eyes were on them.  
“Guys?” Natasha asked nervously, opening her draw to put her phone away before her eyes caught on the small gifts. She pulled them out slowly, giving one to JJ as they both gave the team a questioning look to the agents around them.  
“Open it.” Garcia promoted smiling. They carefully undid the paper and pulled out the small velvet box from inside, gently opening the lid. JJ's hand flew to her mouth and Natasha let out a small gasp. Inside was a small cut obsidian, held in silver wire which wrapped around holding it securely.  
“You guys.”  
“Happy Yule.” The team smiled and JJ felt Emily’s presence at her side.  
“Want some help putting it on?” The blonde could only nod, letting the older agent secure it around her neck, her skin shivering at the cold touch that seemed to send electricity running through her veins.  
“It’s for protection.” Emily said, smiling that she had remembered.  
“It’s beautiful, I can’t thank you all enough.” Both agents hearts burst with the love they had for their family.  
“I hate to be the bearer of bad news but we have a case.” Garcia said, looking down at her ipad.  
Rossi was already in the room when they walked in and he greeted them with a smile.  
“Happy Yule you two.”  
“Thank you.”  
Emily sat next to her as they all took their seats, She let her hand brush softly against JJ's. The Unit Chief wouldn’t admit it aloud but she had missed the other woman for the two weeks she had been overseas with her twin.  
“We have two missing women in New York.” Garcia informed them grimly.  
“Katie Matthews was last seen outside the movie theatre on 57th. Ella Hues was last scene at a club a block away. Both had been on dates with their girlfriends. The girlfriends were brought in for questioning but they’ve been cleared. Both couples had separate modes of transport to get home.”  
“So it’s a hate crime?” JJ asked sadly. Her and Emily shared a look that didn’t go unnoticed by their team.  
“It’s starting to look that way.”  
“Is there anything that connects them?” Emily asked. To everyone else, she sounded like her normal self, but JJ noticed the slight strain in her voice.  
“Yes. Santa hats were send to their homes after they didn’t come back.” Garcia looked up sadly, grabbing their attention.  
“Report in, another missing. 25 year old Blair Hastings. Was last seen getting dinner with her girlfriend. The girlfriend was found in an alley badly beaten up, a Santa hat had been taped to her hand.  
“What was the cool down between Victim one and two?” Natasha asked.  
“Katie was taken around 10pm last Tuesday. Ella was taken at roughly the same time last Thursday.”  
“So his time between kidnappings is getting shorter.”  
“We haven’t come across any body’s.”  
“So either he's good at permanent concealment,”  
"Or he's holding them."  
“That’s up to us to find out. Wheels up in 30.” As the rest of the team filed out, JJ and Emily hung back.  
“So they’re taking them because they’re gay.” JJ asked aloud.  
“It’s looking that way.” Emily replied sadly and JJ took an uneasy breath.  
“What’s on your mind?”  
“I just hate that we still have to worry about this, about being killed, beaten up or kidnapped for who we are.” Emily didn’t reply, she just pulled the younger blonde into a hug. A moment of complete silence passed. JJ let her body melt into Emily’s, taking comfort in the gesture. Another moment passed before the two women pulled away from the embrace.  
“Come on.” Emily smiled softly, leading the other woman out of the room.

The jet flew smoothly through the air, the only sound filling the space was the soft hum of the engines.  
“Why the hat?” JJ voiced suddenly.  
“What?”  
“The Christmas hat. Why leave it? And why would he leave a witness?” She was sat at the table next to the window, Emily next to her, Luke and Rossi across from them and the rest of the team sitting on the other sofa.  
“A taunt maybe.”  
“What if our unsubs previous parter was a lesbian or a bisexual, pansexual woman. It would explain why they only take one. They want the other partner to suffer, maybe like they did.”  
“Maybe.”

The jet touched down twenty minutes later, and they all got into the awaiting SUVS. Natasha Emily, Tara and JJ in one, Rossi, Luke, Reid and Matt in the other. Once they arrived at the precinct, they immediately started to get to work. Natasha, JJ and Emily were heading down to the crime scene while Rossi and Luke headed to the hospital to talk to the victim and Matt, Tara and Spencer worked on the profile.  
The SUV pulled up and the three immediately pulled their coats in tighter. The cold breeze whipped against their cheeks as the small flurry of snow settled against their clothes. The red of the blood was a vast contrast to the purity of the snow. They searched as hard as they could but there wasn’t enough to go on.  
“We should probably head back.” Natasha said after an hour of intense investigation of the scene. The other two agents agreed with her before climbing back into the car and immediately turning on the heating.  
“I can’t feel my hands.” JJ laughed from the back seat.  
“Pass them here.” Emily said, spinning around in the passenger seat to face her. The younger agent softly placed her hands inside Emily’s as the raven tried to warm them up. JJ's mind short circuited. She had long since acknowledged her crush on the other woman but that didn’t stop her from trying to push down and ignore the feelings. 

**_Sunday December 22  
_ ** **_New York: 11:59  
_ ** **_Location: Precinct_ **

“Our unsub is a white male in his late 30’s to early 40’s. He is confident in his ability and believes that we won’t be able to catch him.” Tara informed.  
“This man is also extremely arrogant due to his confidence. He doesn’t care about the victims, he only cars about them both being girls.” Luke went on.  
“We believe our Unsub has had a previous relationship with a woman who came out during that relationship.” Emily continued, standing next to JJ, letting their hands brush softly together like they had in the round table room that morning.  
“Due to this, we think that Unsub felt abandoned, betrayed by this. That’s why he is only taking it out on one partner, not both, he wants them to feel what he did.” Natasha spoke, keeping her voice steady. She had been out for a year and was JJ's comfort when it came to her own anxieties of her sexuality, but this had even her terifide.  
“He leaves the hats as a taunt, a way to psychologically mess with the victims families.” JJ continued.  
“Look for a man who seems to overly interested in same sex female relationships. We believe he will strike again soon so keep a watchful eye. Thank you.” Matt finished, turning to the team as the officers departed.  
“We’re sending you to keep an eye out on some of the gay bars around the city.” The Sherrif told them. Spencer, Tara and Luke, JJ and Emily, Natasha and Rossi all headed off in together towards the different bars. 

JJ climbed into the passenger side of the SUV.  
“Where we headed?” She asked Emily as they pulled out of the car park and onto the main road.  
“McAlya’s it’s a block away from where the first kidnapping took place. There was a silence between them. A lingering question both were to scared to voice.  
“I’ll take the right side of the club, you take the left?” Emily asked as they climbed out of the car.  
“Sounds good.”  
“Hey,” JJ turned to face the other woman at the softness of her voice.  
“Yeah?”  
“We’re going to catch him.” JJ smiled softly. Maybe the question didn’t need to be voiced. Emily pulled her into a surprise hug and she returned the gesture with just as much force, both women in blissful unawareness of the person watching them from across the street.  
JJ would never admit got out loud, but to say she was jealous would be an understatement. Multiple women had been hitting on Emily. Each had been kindly turned away but the blonde wouldn’t stop the feeling that had settled in her stomach.  
“Don’t worry Jareau, I only have eyes for you.” The voice in her comm startled her.  
“Wha- what?”  
“You heard me.” Emily teased.  
“I- I don’t. I can’t see anything, you?” Emily laughed softly before replying,  
“Neither do I.” JJ saw the Unit Chief start approaching her from the other side of the bar.  
“I’m going to take a quick look around the back, I thought I saw movement.” The raven whispered into her ear, sending shivers throughout her body. She heard Emily let out another laugh as she walked away, the sound sounding like music to JJ’s ears. She felt herself blush before she turned back to face the crowd.  
Twenty minutes passed and JJ started to worry.  
“Emily?” She was met with silence.


	2. Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this late at night after a glass of wine, so I apologise for the mistakes lmao.   
> Trigger Warning for homophobia/discussion of conversion therapy and slight mentions of past child abuse.  
> Happy Yule/Hanukkah/Christmas/what you celebrate x

“Emily? Em!!” JJ's panic was rising. Taking one last look around the floor of the club, she quickly rushed around the back, her eyes scanning everything.  
"Emily?" Something hidden behind a small bit of cloth caught her attention and when she got closer, her heart dropped. Emily's badge and gun. She fumbled with her phone as she pulled it out of her pocket, her hands shaking as she dialled.  
"Jayje?"  
"You all need to get here. Now." Natasha was instantly worried at her Twins tone and started moving towards the exit, motioning for Rossi to signal the rest of the team.  
"Jayje I need you to tell me what's happening."  
"She was just here. She went around the back. Please."  
"We're on our way, keep talking to me."  
"She's gone Tasha. I don't know where she is, her badge and gun are here. Oh god." She was pacing back and forth, trying to hold back her tears. 

Natasha jumped out the car and raced into the club as soon as the car came to a halt. She found her way to the back and wrapped JJ in a hug. The blonde hugged her back, hiding her face in her shoulder where she finally let her tears fall. She was terrified for Emily. She had no doubt the woman could handle her self but the fact is they had no idea what this unsub was doing with the women he took and that terrified her even more. Her brain was racing through every worse case scenario, each one worse than the last. 

Emily's mind was groggy as her vision came too. She let out a groan as the restraints around her arms stopped her from moving. Blinking hard a few times, she took in her surroundings, the memories hitting her like a wave of cold water. She had been flirting with JJ before going out around the back of the bar. Someone had ambushed her from behind and knocked her unconscious. She was currently alone in the room. It looked to be an old storage room. Her feet were tied together by rope and her hands were bound around a leg of a shelf behind her back. She struggled against the restraints again but they were secure with no room for potential escape. Letting out a sigh she sat back and observed. She had no idea how much time had passed since she had been in the club with JJ. Maybe an hour? Two? The team had to know she was missing, they would find her. She'd be fine. Her mind tried to reassure her but it wasn't much help. She had no idea where the other girls were or where she was. Her eyes snapped up at the sound of the door opening and she had to hide her shock. A man walked in, 5'6, white, late 30's to early 40's. At least their profile had been right. But what stuck out the most was the full Santa outfit he was wearing.  
"Festive I see." His eyes bore into her's and as he got closer, her stomach dropped. The red of the suit was a light contrast to the dark red splatters all over it. Blood.  
"Shut up." His voice was deep and authoritative.   
"Why did you bring me here." He laughed and Emily's entire body tensed at the sound.  
"Well, since you're never leaving, I guess it wouldn't hurt to fill you in." Definitely arrogant, clearly confident in his abilities. He dragged a chair over and straddled it, resting his hands on the back of the seat.  
"Well it all started a few years ago." Emily wanted to bite at the tone he was using, acting as if she was some un intelligent toddler but she held her tongue, not wanting. to make matters worse for herself.  
"I had a fiancee. Bella. She was the most beautiful woman on the planet. Her mother warned me about her past, how she used to be one of those sinners. Luckily her parents caught it in time and after sending her to a therapy at a resort for a few months, she came back normal." The idea of the woman being sent to conversion made Emily sick. She knew how horrible those places were. It had been a cold evening after hanging out with her best friend at the time, they had been flirting the entire time they were out. Allowing themselves the pleasure of secret glances and gently touches. She hadn't noticed the car that had been following them while walking down the street. She didn't feel the eyes on them as her friend pulled her into an alcove before kissing her passionately. She was too caught up in her forbidden feelings and the pleasure of kissing the girl she was with. It wasn't until that night when she arrived home to find her mother, nursing a glass of wine, sat staring aimlessly at nothing on the sofa.  
"We need to talk." She had said. Emily had been terrified at those words but what came next she wasn't expecting. Her mother had hired someone to trail her and so, when they caught her kissing Carter her mother had been notified immediately. She then went on to notify Carter's parents. Emily had never been slapped by her mother until that night. She had backhanded her so hard, it had sent her crashing to the floor. Her mother had screamed and cursed her out all night. Looking back, she realised that was when she first learnt to switch of her mind when someone was yelling at her. Her mother had threatened conversion therapy but after promising her she hadn't wanted to kiss her friend and that she had been forced into it, her mother stopped the screaming, banishing her room for the next week. Guilt and shame had blanketed her. She had wanted to kiss Carter for so long, she wanted to allow herself to feel what she felt for the other girl because it felt so good. But she her shame was rising. Her mother had successfully managed to convince her that those urges and feelings she had were the worst things in the world. So she shoved them down. A priest had arrived every day for the next week after that, and she was forced to sit and listen as the bible was read out to her. She returned to school a week later to find Carter had never come back to school. It was only three months later when she arrived back with a limp and refusal to meet Emily's eyes did she figure out where she had been. She tried to talk with her but every time she got close, Carter would avoid her like the plague. Her mothers conversation with Carters parents had a compromise. One of them was to be sent to conversion, and being the ambassador, she didn't want to bring shame to the family name. So Carter had been sent away and not two days after her return had Emily's mother moved again, dragging her with her. She had met Matthew there and she learnt to be a lot better and keeping secrets from her family. It had taken her years to overcome the things that had been said to her in those private meetings with the priest, it had taken years for her to finally accept herself and learn that it was okay to be who she was.   
"Anyway," Emily was dragged out of her memories and back into the issue at hand.  
"We were engaged until about a year ago. She was involved in a case your team was involved in. Her. There was a woman who was injured. As it stems, Bella had gone back to her old ways and was seeing this sinner behind my back. So I ordered someone to deal with her. Unfortunately it just so happens that he was the guy you were looking for and you captured him before he could remove her from the equation. I believe it was you who spoke to her after the case, did you not." Emily could feel her face pale. They had been on the lookout for a serial killer, called in by the NYPD to assist them with it. They had caught him with the knife millimetres away from his next victims throat. A tall red head woman. During the case, Bella had come in to see if they had found her and she had confided in Emily about her past. Emily had opened up to her and by the end of it, Bella had made a plan to break it off with her fiancee and finally make it official with Elle. She had been so relived to find the woman alive and Emily had been happy she had helped a woman see that what had happened in her past was wrong and that it was okay to be who you are.  
"You remember, don't you? She broke it off with me once she got back. She left the next day and a week later, I saw them walking down the street holding hands. I was so repulsed and angry, I decided that matters needed to be taken into my own hands. I kidnapped them a week later and hired someone to make sure no one knew they were missing. Oh the thrill. It was addicting, so, I did it again. And again." His laugh sent chills down her spine.  
"And then do you know what I found today? You. You and that blonde woman and it all clicked. Of course you were just like them. Another disgusting sinner. I was going to take you anyway, i've been planning my revenge ever since that day, this just added to my reasons. Any questions?"  
"Why the Santa and the hats?"  
"Christmas was mine and Bella's favourite time of the year. Santa has elves, does he not. Which is just a more kid friendly word for servant and thats all your broken kind are good for. Pleasing and bowing down. And it's Christmas, no one would suspect Santa. As for the hats, that was just for fun." Emily had to hold back her vomit. He truly believed that the women he had taken were broken and therefore only served one purpose, to serve.   
"Well story time's over. The hat I had sent to your team with a lovely note and picture, should be arriving around now." He stood up, throwing the chair back causing Emily to flinch at the sound. He walked forward before a painful blow to the head knocked her into the realm of darkness.


	3. Submissive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wren is an OC from one of my past fic's.  
> All you really need to know is that she and Elle have been dating since season 1.  
> There is also a tracy lambert mention in this chapter. I wanted to throw that out because without context its odd lmao.

JJ stared down at the items in front of them, her whole body shaking and breathing coming in jagged breaths. A sealed envelope had been delivered to her desk, inside were four items. A letter, two polaroids, and one single Santa hat. JJ's cry had immediately got the attention of her team as they raced to her side. Luke had taken the items, leading them into the roundtable room where he read out the letter.  
"To the BAU I have my reasons for doing what I have. Your Emily played a major part in it. Thus I only see it fair that she gets the deserved punishment. I won't hurt her too badly. Well maybe, We'll see. As an act of good faith though, call it a Christmas Present, I will release one of the girls I have. Happy Holidays." There were coordinates written at the bottom signed by just the stamp of a Christmas hat. JJ handed Luke the polaroids. Natasha carefully held her hand, terrified by the fragile and scared state of her sister. One picture was of Emily in the back of a van, clearly out of it. Her hands were bound together and the bottom of her dress had ridden up her thigh, making JJ turn away and the thought of what had happened. The other was still of Emily, this time her hands were bound behind a shelf leg. JJ noticed how her dress had been pulled back down and her ankles tied by rope. She didn't know if it made the dread ease up or just get ten times worse.  
"He's taunting us." Natasha grumbled angrily, trying to mask her fear for her sisters sake.  
"Like we profiled. He's arrogant. This, overconfidence, he will make a mistake. In the meantime, Garcia. I need you to pull up these coordinates." Tara ordered.

Emily looked around, she had been moved to a separate room by herself. Looking down she noticed she was in new clothes. Her heart sank. They had clearly changed her while she had been unconscious. She had hoped they hadn't done anything, even if they had, there was nothing she could do about it. She had gone from her black dress that showed off her curves, purposefully worn to gage a reaction out of the blonde on her team, to a small grey vest top and black leggings.  
Time seemed to pass irregularly. She had tried to use the time productively, try to work out where she was or if should get get out of her restraints, but everything came up empty. So she was forced to wait, so sit still until whoever was coming for her arrived. Whether that was her team or her kidnapper, she didn't know. She soon got her answer when the door was slammed open and a man walked in. He was a different guy to the one she had spoken to before. She quickly deduced this one was the henchman, the muscle. He had to have been at least 6ft. He towered over her before undoing the restraints and grabbing her by the hair. She let out a cry of pain before quickly shutting her mouth. The Unit Chief didn't want to give them the satisfaction of it. She was thrown into a large room where that had to be at least fifteen other women in the same outfit. They all looked worn down and broken. One of the girls approached her and offered Emily her hand. She took it, using the strength to stand.  
"Thank you." She whispered softly. The girl could only of been around eighteen.  
"I'm Emily, Prentiss."  
"Alex, Greenaway."  
"Greenaway?" Alex nodded as Emily tried to rack her brains of where she had heard the name.  
"As in Elle Greenaway?" The younger girl looked confused before nodding.  
"She's my older sister. How do you know her?"  
"She worked at the BAU. I know her through JJ." Everything seemed to click in her mind.  
"Ohhh, you're the girl Elle says JJ always talks about." Emily blushed before nodding. JJ had stayed in contact with Elle ever since she left. Emily was pretty sure Garcia and Spencer had too.  
"Does this mean the FBI are coming?" Their voices lowered to a barely audible whisper.  
"I hope so. My team were looking into the disappearances when I was abducted."  
"Look, we can't get seen talking here. Tonight?" Emily nodded, choosing to take another look around. No one was really paying them much attention. Each was doing a job of some kind. Some were hand stitching Santa hats, some were mining the ground with pickaxes, some chopping wood for the fire and others were building. There were at least 7 cameras that she could see. Each woman was completely submissive. Despite having no restraints, no one made any movement towards an exit and Emily shuddered. What had they been put through?

Garcia walked back in, her face even more downcast.  
"Garcia?"  
"I got the coordinates like you said. They lead to a small alleyway besides an abandoned warehouse. I decided to do some further digging because of something our unsub said. It turns out, there were a lot more victims than we originally thought. There are at least fifteen victims not including Emily. One of the victims names stuck out." A picture came up on the screen. A woman, late twenties - early thirties, brown hair green eyes. Natasha's heart instantly dropped as she let out a cry, turning into JJ's arms. JJ quietly hummed to her as she gently rocked her side to side. The team stared at the agent confused by her outcry.  
"Alex Greenaway." Garcia's voice got their attention.  
"Greenaway? Like?" Spencer started to talk before a voice cut them off at the door.  
"She's my little sister." Everyone looked up to see Elle and a random woman in the doorway. JJ, Natasha and Spencer stood up to bring both women into hugs.  
Elle hugged Natasha tight, her own tears welling up.   
"We're going to get her back, okay?" She whispered and felt the red head nod against her shoulder.  
"It's so good to see you both." The five other members introduced themselves before the two women sat down to join them.  
"Where did you say those Coords lead Garcia?"  
  


If Emily thought time passed slowly before, this felt like eternity. Her muscles ached with each movement she made. Someone had come in to tell her she would be chopping wood with two other girls. Alex was right, no one was talking. The only sounds that had filled the silent air were those of the tools being used. She didn't know why these women were so willing and she wasn't ready to find out. She had welcomed the comfort of the bed that night. At the sound of an alarm, all had been sent to a slightly smaller room. There was a long table in the middle with benches lining either side and bunk beds resting on each side of the room. Emily took the free one which happened to be the same one as Alex. A pot of weird looking stew was passed in and each women took it, eating as much as they could. Emily handed her portion to the girl next to her who took it gratefully, introducing herself as Cyrus. The food had made her want to vomit and she couldn't not think about the Chili. So she had gone to bed that night with a body that felt like she was being stabbed with every movement, and an empty stomach.   
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't fall asleep. Soft snores filled the room as Alex gently climbed down the ladder. Emily pulled herself into a sitting position, giving the younger girl room to sit.  
"How are you feeling?"  
"Like I just had the shit beat out of me. Trust me, i've had it beat out of me before. I would much prefer it." Alex let out a gentle laugh.  
"It's your first day. You learn to ignore it."   
"Why is everyone so submissive?" Emily asked sadly.  
"Because when you're not, you get taken. No one knows what happens. Everyone refuses to speak of it. But they started playing the screams for the new girls that are brought in. It means that the girls taken are too scared to act out again, and the new ones are to scared to even step a foot out of line."  
"Do you have any idea where we are?"  
"No clue unfortunately." Emily let out a sigh.  
"Hey. If you want to break down. Now is the time to do it. I wont judge. I did on my first night here." Emily nodded but at the gentleness of her voice and the kindness in Alex's eyes, she let out all the emotions that had building up. Alex moved to hold her, gently rocking her and singing softly. It was something she had done with Elle after hard cases at the BAU.  
_"Hush, little baby, don't say a word, Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird.  
__And if that mockingbird don't sing, Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring.  
__And if that diamond ring turns brass, Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass.  
__And if that looking glass gets broke, Mama's gonna buy you a billy goat,  
__And if that billy goat doesn't pull, Mama's gonna buy you a cart and bull.  
__And if that cart and bull turn over, Mama's gonna buy you a dog named Rover.  
__And if that dog named Rover won't bark, Mama's gonna buy you a horse and cart.  
__And if that horse and cart fall down, well you'll still be the sweetest baby in town."_ Her voice was soft and comforting to the crying agent and soon her broken sobs turned to even breaths as the two fell asleep trying to comfort one another. Both in a deep slumber by the time the door creaked open and the room of sixteen went down a girl.

𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝘿𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 23  
𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝒀𝒐𝒓𝒌: 06:54  
𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: 𝑪𝒐𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

The SUV pulled up at the coordinates. JJ, Tara, Elle and Luke all jumped out. Everyone else was staying back at the BAU while they went to investigate. True to their unsubs word, a girl had been found. The grey vest top that she had been wearing was soaked in blood and her body was beaten. JJ approached a paramedic, flashing her badge.  
"BAU SSA Jareau. What can you tell us?"  
"Mirrah Evans. Twenty one year old female. She's alive. Just. It's a miracle we found her. Any longer and she would have been a goner." JJ nodded and thanked him before turning back to the team.  
"Who's out victim?" Luke asked.  
"Mirrah Evans. Twenty one. And we just found our unsub's mistake."  
"Which is?"  
"He beat his victim with the intent to kill. But she's not dead."  
"She can give us information." JJ nodded.  
"Exactly."   
"They're going to call us when she wakes up Tara informed them. They all climbed back in the care, the energy slightly more positive. Maybe they were going to get them back without anything too bad happening.


	4. I'm By Your Side

𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝘿𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 23  
𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝒀𝒐𝒓𝒌: 08:16  
𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: 𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏

Emily woke up to the sound of another girl crying. For a moment she was confused before the memories and pain hit her like a truck. She would know, she had been hit by one before. Sitting up she could see a few women trying to comfort a younger girl. She made eye contact with the crying woman and instantly her glare was hard and angry.  
"IT'S YOUR FAULT SHE'S GONE." The girl flew at her but Emily didn't have the strength to fight her off. She landed a few blows, even successfully scratching the Unit Chief's cheek hard enough to draw blood before the others managed to pull her off. Alex sat next to her, sighing deeply.  
"Not the best thing to be met with when you first wake up. How you feeling?"  
"If I thought I felt like shit when I woke up, I don't even know."  
"Sorry about her."  
"What does she mean 'it's my fault she's gone'" Emily asked after a moment of silence, resting her cheek on the palm of her hand as she faced Alex.  
"A girl was taken out of here last night, Mirrah Evans. Her and Alicia were close. She acted like a protective older sister to her. Would always comfort her. I don't think she's coming back to be honest. I guess Alicia thinks that since you're here and she's not, you're the reason."  
"Am I?" Emily voiced.  
"No, of course not." But the agent didn't miss the slight hesitation. The door slammed open, causing everyone to jump. The taller man she had met early was stood there and each girl seemed to cower back, even Alex hid slightly behind Emily. She moved herself to cover the younger Greenaway, feeling protective over her.  
"You!" He pointed at Emily and she inwardly cursed.  
"With me." She nodded, noticing the way Alex's hand tightened on her arm before letting go. She slightly hobbled over to the doorway before the man got bored, stepping in and dragging her out by the collar of her vest. He pulled her into another room where the main unsub was sat.  
"You look like crap." He announced and she just let out a bitter laugh.  
"Who did this to you." Emily gulped. She wasn't going to rat out the other girl. She dreaded to think about what would happen if she did. It didn't matter that she'd attacked her, no one deserved to go through what she probably would. So, she kept silent.  
"Keeping silent. You're protecting her? Is that it? You may be law enforcement but that is a very stupid decision to make. Are you sure it's the right one." Emily stared him down, not saying another word.  
"Well someone has to pay, it's just a shame it has to be you."

JJ rubbed at her eyes with the palm of her hand. No one had gone home. The roundtable room was full of different notes and evidence as well as different arm chairs that had been pulled in as well as blankets.The girls slept in there while the guys split between the two offices. Tara was sat her legs over the arm of the armchair, Natasha, Wren and Elle in similar positions. Tara and Nat were looking through yet another case file, Wren was whispering words of comfort into Elles ear as their laid together, looking through Alex's file. Garcia was lounged across the sofa on her laptop, trying to find a connection between all 16 girls. Rossi and Simmons were comparing the evidence while Luke ordered breakfast for them all and Reid was inspecting what they already had pinned on the board. They had already chased a false lead and reached too many dead ends to count. The hopeful mood from the day before had been very quickly snuffed out as time went on. There was hardly anything connecting their victims and their one witness was still unconscious. 

The taller man dragged her back to the room before letting her limp through the door. Laughing at her struggle.  
"I suppose you snitched me out." Alicia called over to her as she walked in before noticing the bruises that hadn't been there that morning. A hush fell over the room as one by one they all noticed it. Alex was by her side in seconds, cold cloth at the ready. She gently eased Emily into the bottom bunk before letting her hold the cloth to her wounds. She helped her move into a sitting position, getting up to grab a glass of water. She could feel everyone's eyes on her but she didn't care, all she could focus on was not crying at the pain that was pulsing through her body. She was grateful as the glass was raised to her lips and she took a sip. The whole situation felt similar as she thought back to Cyrus and the Ranch Cult.  
"You took the blame?" Alicia asked as Alex put down the glass, an undertone of respect to her voice.  
"No. I just stared the asshole down when he asked me who did it?" There was a sharp intake of breath from a few girls.  
"What?"  
"How are you so calm?" Cyrus asked.  
"I'm Unit Chief of the Behavioural Analysis Unit in the FBI. Believe it or not, this is not my first rodeo."  
"You work in the FBI?" A girl asked and Emily recognised her and the girl next to her from their original case.  
"Yep. We were looking into your disappearances when I was abducted. Katie and Ella right?" The too girls nodded.  
"They're looking for us?"  
"Yep." There was a low chatter that started up at the revelation. Alicia walked over to her while everyone else was distracted and Alex tensed up, ready to pull her away again.  
"I'm sorry for lashing out like that earlier?" Emilys demeanour softened at the apology.  
"Apology accepted. I'm not going to say it's okay because what you didn't wasn't right. But i understand why you did it." She offered her a smile, holding out her hand.  
"Emily Prentiss."  
"Alicia McAllen."  
"Guys!!" Everyone looked towards one of the girls who had a small note in her hand.  
"Due to it being Prentiss' second day, you're all relieved of duty for the day. You are confined to rooms and are expected on call at sunrise tomorrow morning." There were cheers that rose up across the room and Emily let out a relieved sigh.  
"Since you're new here, why don't we introduce ourselves and how old we are?" Alex suggested. Once the others agreed, stopping what they were doing to face them. Herself and Emily went first.  
"Emily Prentiss, 46"  
"Alex Greenaway, 31"  
"Alicia McAllen, 16"  
"Katie Matthews, 26"  
"Ella Hues, 27"  
"Blair Hastings, 25"  
"Emma Miller, 30"  
"Robin Gray, 17"  
"Bella Cooper, 35"  
"Elle Bennett, 34" Emily recognised the two as the women the Unsub had told her about.  
"Bailey Clark, 29"  
"Evan Roberts, 27"  
"Courtney Johnson, 29"  
"Aria Mitchell, 17"  
"Erin Harris, 25"

𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝘿𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 23  
𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝒀𝒐𝒓𝒌: 13:11  
𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: 𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏

Time passed. Emily was sat on the bed with Alex, a pack of cards in hand. Erin approached her with a shy smile.  
"You said you're in the FBI right?" Emily nodded.  
"You also said this is not your first rodeo." Emily nodded again.  
"Could you tell us some stories?" Alex shared a bemused smirk with her.  
"Of course." Erin smiled before sitting down, everyone else joining her until each person was gathered around her bed.  
"You're in for a treat, she's faked her own death before." Alex laughed with Emily as the 13 other women just looked shocked. 

𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝘿𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 23  
𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝒀𝒐𝒓𝒌: 18:11  
𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: 𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏

Stories had been swapped between the whole group, many different ones.  
"What about you Em?" The Unit Chief looked up.  
"Hmm?"  
"Any girls?" Suddenly Emily found a happy subject she could talk about for hours.  
"Yeah." Alex laughed and Emily wrapped her blanket tighter around her shoulders.  
"Tell us more," Courtney laughed.  
"Her name is JJ. She's one of the Agent's on my team."  
"Badass" Robin whispered which caused a laugh from everyone.  
"Wait, the same JJ that spent that time with you in Paris?" Emily bushed, nodding.  
"The very same." Night fell and Emily pulled the blanket close, welcoming its warmth. Alex came down to join her. Most girls were doubling up with their bunk mate. The room offered no protection from the freezing weather outside, but not even the dullness of the cold could brush away the warm and happy feeling that had settled in the chest of every woman. 

𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝘿𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 24  
𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝒀𝒐𝒓𝒌: 02:25  
𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: 𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏

They fell asleep in the BAU again. All wanted to stay there so no one made the rational decision to send anyone home for the night. A phone ringing woke the girls and they were all alert in seconds.  
"Yes. Of course. Thank you. We're on our way." The five of them looked at Tara expectantly.  
"That was the hospital, Mirrah's awake." They were all on their feet instantly.  
"Wren and Elle, can you wake the guys, let them know where we're going, tell Reid and Rossi to get their backsides to the SUV." The two women nodded.  
"Of course."  
"Garcia be ready for a phone call from us and information."  
"Yes, Ma'am."  
"JJ, you're with me."  
"Got it" They all rushed out the room.  
It didn't take long for them to arrive to the hospital due to the lack of traffic at 2:34am, they were shown straight through to Mirrah's room. The doctor left with a smile, leaving his patient in the groups care.  
"Mirrah Evans?" The girl nodded, sitting up further with a wince.  
"I'm SSA Tara Lewis, these are SSA's Jennifer Jareau, Dave Rossi and Dr Spencer Reid. Do you mind if we ask you a few questions."  
"Will it help you get them home?"  
"It will."  
"Then ask me anything."


End file.
